Our relative success over the last few years – two appearances in the First Round Proper this decade – has made autumn synonymous with a run in the FA Cup. But are you aware that it was as recently as 2013 that we made our bow in the world’s most famous knockout competition ?
Having achieved Step 5 status in the Kent Hurlimann League - along with an appearance in the FA Vase the previous season -, we were finally invited to appear in the FA Cup at the beginning of our 94th season.
Drawn to play Lancing – then in the Sussex County League - in the Extra Preliminary Round, our manager at the time was Valley legend and current Committee member Steve “Chappo” Chapman – a player for the Club as long ago as 1982. I asked Chappo for his recollections of that momentous occasion.
“It was a game where we were dominant and missed quite a few chances, but the boys were a bit nervous because it was our first FA Cup game. It was the best squad that I had in the three and a half years that I was Manager – we developed it, and had a bit of budget – finishing seventh in the league at the end of the season. We took the lead before half time through Lewis Wood, but although they equalised in about the 70th minute, we were quite confident going into the replay.
Going down to Lancing was a nightmare – people were turning up late which influenced the starting line up – but we took an early lead and we never looked back. It was one of my most memorable games because it was our first experience in the FA Cup and to go down there and win 4-0 against a team that was at the same level – it was a really good evening. We took our chances and It was as comfortable as it should have been in the first game.
In the next round we played Redhill from the Isthmian League who were good at the time and had two of our ex players. We didn’t really show up that day and they beat us comfortably. But it was a proud moment for me having been at Cray Valley for so long – managing our first game in the Vase, then our first game in the FA Cup…….”
And that’s what the Cup means…., so let’s hear you get behind the boys today and help us make some more memories.

For a more detailed report of our first season in the FA Cup see our past seasons archive
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/a/past-seasons-archive-60404.html?page=29

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